Coin-controlled pay-station for telephones.



A.B. PLAGG & W. H. LIVERMORE. 00m CONTROLLED PAY STATION FORTELEPHONE-S.

APPLICATION PILEI) DBO. 26, 1905.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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ArthurB. F [Q Her LU.) more. 1+ mrn e9 A. B. FLAGG & W. H. LIVERMORE.COIN CONTROLLED PAY STATION FOR TELBPHONES. APPLICATION FILED 1330.26,1905. 1,1 12,370. Patented Sept. 29, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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#W m/ QW 4 y orney A. B. FLAGG & W. H. LIVERMORE. COIN CONTROLLED PAYSTATION FOR TELEPHONBS.

APPLICATION FILED 1130.26, 1905.

' Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

3 SHBETB-8HEET 3.

Inventors ArthurEx. Flagg. more i orney no n QiA-Q m 2 .iifiiiiiifii55555,549 "5155555151 a Ema-.5

5 e S e n M W041 cevH. L1 B &

PATENT curios. j

nm'mmia. ,FLAGGCAILIID WALTER i1. LIV-ERMORE; 'or' ASSIGNORS, BY

or PORTLAND; MAINE, A CORPORATION or MAINE.

- com-conl'rnomnn PAY-seamen For. TELEPHONES.

T0 allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR B. FLAGG and WVALTER H. LIVERMORE, both'citizens 6f" the'United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of.Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Coin-Controlled Pay-Stations for Telephones,of-which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawingsforming a part of the same, in which' Figure 1 represents a rear view ofa telephone pay station embodying our inven- Fi 3 is, a similar viewhavin the rear tion and having the back removed to disclose the interiormechanism. Fig. 2 is a similar view but having the rear coin channelplate removed showing the coin separator and the channel separatingplate.

channel plate removed and the channel separating plate and coinseparator removed in order to disclose the recessed side of the frontchannel plate. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the channelplates on line ,41,.Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional viewthrough the channel plates on line 55, Fig. 1*. Fig. 6 is a sideelevation of the coin separator. Fig. 7 is a top view of the coinseparator. Fig. 8 is an end view of the coin separator. Fig.9isatrai'isverse sectional view of the coin separator on line 99, Fig. 6.Fig. 10 is a rear elevation having the back of the case and the channelplates removed to disclose the resonant gong plate, andFig. 11 is asideelevation shown in central vertical section, on line vll--11,, Fig. 1,Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in thedifferent views.

Our present invention relates to a coin controlled pay station to beused in connection with the sound transmitting app-a ratus of atelephone, and our invention is especially designed for the payment oftolls of different values by the use of a single pay station.

Our improved apparatus comprises'ajcoin channel for the reception ofcoins of different values in the payment Qt telephone tolls, a separatorby which the coins are separated according to their respectivedenominations, individual channels for the separated coins. leading tosignal devices, with means for transmitting the signals to Specificationofietters Patent. Application filed December 26, 1505.

Serial No. 293,175.

the central oflice; and our invention has woncnsrrnn, mnss'gonusnra s,MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, f'10 wnmvronn PAY summon comrnm'r,

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

for its objects to enable tolls of diflerent values to be paid by theemployment of a single coin receiving slot or channel; to effect aseparation of the coins according to their respective values in orderthat the admission of each individual coin may be indicated by itsappropriate signal; to produce an audible signal by the different coinsin their passage through the apparatus without a material deflection inthe path of the coin; to reduce the transmission of sound from themoving coin within the coin channels, and to increase the transmissionof sound from the sound signals, and these objects among others weaccomplish by the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the annexed claims.

As illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, our improved devicecomprises a box 1 inelosing the coin channels and the sound signalingapparatus. Within the box are posts 2, 2, more clearly shown in Fig. 11,to which are attached the channel lates 3 and 4., with interveningWashers 5 .o felt, vulcanized fiber, or other sound nonconductingmaterial, in order to check the transmission of sound caused by themoving coin from the channel plates to the posts 2. The. top of the box1 is provided with a slit 6 and a projecting slotted plate 7 throughwhich coins are admitted to a channel 8 formed between the channelplates 3 and 4. The upper end of the channel 8 is considerably widerthan the thickness of the coin to be. admitted, and a short distancebelow the top of the box the channel is contracted to form shoulders 9which are curved or inclined to the line of movement of the coin in thecoin channel, one of these shoulders is shown in Figsy2 and 3. The

object of these shoulders isto check the fmovement of the coin as itpasses to the contracted space in the channel and thereby preventing anundue momentum from being imparted to the coin by the operator. Theshoulders 9, 9, as shown in Fig. 11, are beveled so that if the movementof a coin should be chcckedby one of the shoulders the coin will slideby gravity into the contracted portion 10 of the channel. After Ipassing the shoulders 9 the coin is deflected from a rwht hue and causedto ass around is provided with=an opening 18, through a raised bbss 11designed to still x-further retard thefinovement of the coin as itentersthe-upper end of the coin separator.

The coin channel'8 lies in a vertical plane so that a coin in: passingthrough the con tracted and'inclined portion of the/channel will besupported by and roll upon its around the raised boss 11.

-cdge,' being held in a vertical position by the side walls of thechannelexcept as it may be slightly, deflected by ,its passage The coinseparator is clamped between the channel plates 3 and 4, and it consistsof an inclined trough 12 open at the top and substantially triangular incross section The rear side of the coin separator or that lying next thechannel 'plate4 is shown in'Fig. 2, by

the withdrawal of the channel plate 4, and the front side of the coinseparator lying next the channelplate 3, is represented in Fig. 6.

Below the coin separator or trough 12 we insert a separator plate 13 bywhich the channels formed in the plates 3 and 4 are separated, so astoform two sides of the 1 channels leading downward through the channelplates from the trough 12. The trough 12 is provided with openings inits sides to permit the coins entering the upper end of the trough to bedeflected and pass through the openings and fall into the coin channelsupon one side or the other of the separator plate 13. The front sideofthe trough 12 is provided with an opening 14 nel plate 3, through whichthe-coins de- -scend' front of the separator. plate '13.

Theopp site or rear side of the trough 12 ,WhlCh the third-size of coinsare deflected to the rear of the separator plate 13 into'a' coinchannel.19 ,formed in the channel plate 4.

the sides of said channel being indicated by the broken lines 20, Fighl.The rear side of the trough 12 is also provided with an I opening 21through which the fourth size 'of"coins isdeflected through an opening22 in the channel plate 4 and be caused to fall outside thechannel plateinto a receptacle 23.

Coins whlch are toosmall in diameter to be deflected through either ofthe four openings in thetrough 12 roll entirely through the trough andare delivered through an opening 24 in the bottom of the trough into acoin channel 25, shown in Fig. 1 as in- .closedbetween the broken lines26. The

trough 12 is therefore capable of controlling the movement f coins offive difierent diameters, such for example as ieces of the followingdenominations, name y, fifty cents,

twenty-five cents, five cents, one cent, and

ten cents, vsaid coins being delivered from the trough 12 in the ordernamed, corresponding to their diameters, a fifty cent coin ..-beingdelivered through the opening 14 into the coin channel 15 of the plate3, and a twenty-five cent piece being delivered through the opening 16into the coin channel 17. of the plate 3, both of said coinsbeingdelivered through a common spout 27 into the coin receptacle 23.

The trough 12 when held between the channel lates 3 and 4 is supportedwith its front si e 29-next the channel plate 3 in a vertical position,as shown in Fig. 8, and with its rear side 30 in an inclined position,so that a coin entering the upper end of the trough 12 will be tippedand raised against the inclined side 30 of the trou h.

Extending across the top 0 the trough are .a series of curved deflectors31, 32, 33 and 34 placed at successively decreasing distances above thebottom of. the trough, the

' first deflector 31 being arranged to strike the upper edge of thelargest coin or fifty cent piece and deflect it toward the side 29 ofthe trough and through the opening '14; .The deflector 32 is at a lessheight from the bottom of the trough and arranged to contact withthenext size of the coin or the twentyfive cent piece and deflect itthrough the opening 16. The third deflector 33 is adapted to contactwith the top of.a five cent piece and deflect it against a projectingspur 35 which causes the coin to swing slightly on its base and dropthrough the opening 18 in the side 30 ofthe trough. In their passagethrough the trough 12 the coins roll on their edges over the bottom ofthe trough in a slightly tipped osition, resting on their sides. againstthe inc ined side of the trough. The first openingin the trough isintended to allow the passage of coins of the largest diameter, thesecond opening those of the next smaller diameter, and so on. If theopenings in the sides of the trough were circular, it is o vious thatthe smaller coins would pass t rough any larger opening to which theymight be presented, as for instance, by. the tipping of the apparatus,and

no separation of the coins would be accomplished. We, therefore, makethe openings in the trough 12 oblong, with their minor axes less thanthe diameter of the coin to pass through them and with their major axesslightly greater than the diameter of the coin to pass through them. Weplaceessential feature is the oblong shape of the opening by which oneaxis is less and the other greater than the diameter of the coins. Theone cent piece continuing its movement is deflected by the curveddeflector 34 against a similar spur'36, causing the coin to fall throughthe opening 21 in the side 30 of the I trough, while the ten cent piececontinues its movementbeneath all the deflectors until it falls throughthe opening 24 in the bottom of the trough. In order to facilitate thepassage of the five and one cent coins through the openings .18 and 21,we slightly contract the width of the-trough opposite the openings 18and 21 by pressing'in, or recessing the vertical side 29, as shown at29, Fi s. 6 and 7.

By t e operation of. the trough 12, two sizes of coins,to wit, the fiftycents and twenty-five cents, are delivered through the spout 27,whilethe five cent and ten cent coins are delivered through *the spout28 into the coin receptacle 23, while the one cent coin falling throughthe openin 21 of the trough and the opening 22 of t e rear channel platefalls outside of the channel plates into the 'cash receptacle, The upperend of the coin channel 15 is slightly inclined so that the coin inenteringthe chan nel 15 will move by gravity towardan opening 37 in t heside wall of the channel and at a point midway the opening 37 and justoutside a straight line connecting the ends 38 and 39 of the side wall,we place a wire 40 held in a bracket 41 and forming part of a coiledwire gong 42, so that a coin pass ing down the inclined channel 15 willbe brought in contact with the wire and vibratethe gong 42, thencepassing around the curved portion of the channello to the spout 27, infront of which is located a similar wire 43 held in a bracket 44 andforming part of a coiled wire gon 45, said coin producing two audiblesigna s in its passage to the coin receptacle 23. o The twenty-five centcoin enteri n t'he'channel 17 passes downward throug the spout 27 and islikewise brought into contact with the wire 43, thereby producing' asingle sound signal.

'The five cent coin delivered through the opening 18 into the coinchannel 19 is delivered through the spout 28 against the lower edge 46of a bell 46, and the ten cent piece'rolli'ng through the entire lengthof the trough contacts with the upper edge 46 of the bell 46 and fallsthrough the opening 24 of the trough int-o the channel 25 and isdelivered through the opening 28 into contact with the lower edge 46 ofthe bell 46. The five cent piece therefore, produces a single soundsignal upon the bell 46, while the ten cent piece produces a doublesound signal upon the same bell.

The coiled wire gongs 42 and 45 are sup ported by brackets 41 and 44which are attached to the lower half of a resonant steel plate 47. Theupper half of the steel plate 47 is supported upon posts 48 attached tothe box 1, so that the vibrations of the gongs 42 and 45 and of the bell46 will be conveyed to the resonant plate 47. The front side of the box1 is provided with an opening 49 to which the base 50 of the transmit;ter and arm 51 is attached, 1

In the operation of :our apparatus the sound of the moving coins withinthe channels of the plates 3 and 4 is prevented from being conductedthrough the box 1 to the telephone transmitter by the sound insulatingwashers 5, while the vibration of the signal gongs and hell aremagnified by the vibrations of the resonant steel plate 47, causingsharp and well defined sound signals to be transmitted to the centraloffice, distinct from any interfering sounds produced by the movement ofthe coins in the coin channels. Our improved apparatus enables fourdistinct tolls tobe received at' an individual pay station, namely,fifty cents, twenty-five cents, ten cents, and five cents, and this ischannel, thereby unerringly controlling thesound signal according to'the size of thecoins.

We obtain a clear and loudsignal from each of the gongs and fromopposite edges of the bell by placin the gO-ng wire and the edges of thebell which are struck by the coin just outside the line of side wall ofthe coin channels, and beyond the path of the -;1

providing an opening large 125 coin, and by enough to allow the forwardedge of the coin/to strike squarely against the wire or the bell, and Wefurther incline the coin.

channels immediately in front ofthe. gong wire or bell in order that themomentum of the rolling coin may expend its full force g 65 line ofmovement of the'coin, and a sound same having been made the subject of adivisional application.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. The combination with a pair of coin channel plates recessed inopposite directions and placed face to face to form a coin channel, of aseparator plate parallel with the recessed sides of said channel platesand held between said plates in the center of the channel, whereby saidchannel is divided into two parts.

2. The combination with a pair of coin channel plates, recessed inopposite directions and placed face to face to form a coin channel, of aseparator plate parallel with the recessed sides of said channel platesand inserted in the center of the lower part of the channel, wherebysaid channel is divided into two parts, with said separator plateforming the inner sides of said channels, and

. with said channels communicating with the single channel at the upperpart of the channel plates.

3. The combination of a pair of recessed channel plates placed facetoface to form a single coin channel, a trough for the passage of coinstherethrough having a series of side openings and placed in said coinchannel, and a separator plate placed in the'center of the coin channeland below said trough, and coin separating devices whereby the coins arediverted from the trough and through said side openingaand upon oppositesides of said separator plate.

4. The combination of a pair of channel plates having recessed sides andplaced face to face to form a coin channel, one of said channel pl'ate'scurved laterally outward and the other of said plates curved inward tocorrespond with said outward bend, and provided with a bevel to receivethe advancing coin, whereby the motion of the coin is checked as itpasses through said coin channel. 7

5. The combination with a coin channel having its sides in a verticalplane and hav-' ing a section with its edges inclined, whereby a coinwill roll on its edge through said inclined section, said channel havinga reverseicurved section, said inclined section with a' secondoppositely inclined section, an opening in said curved section in thesignal placed opposite said opening and outside the coin channel,whereby the coin by its rolling action'through the first inclinedsection will be forcibly carried against the sound signal and caused'torebound into the second and oppositely inclined section.

6. In a telephone pay station, the combination with a sound transmitter,of a resonant plate attached to the base ofsaid transmitter, a soundsignal'device attached to said resonant plate, and a coin channel plateindependent, of said resonant plate.

7. In a telephone pay station, thecombination with a support for a coinchannel plate, of a coin channel plate held on said support, soundinsulating material between said channel plate and its support, a soundsignal device, a sound transmitter and a connection for the delivery ofsound waves from said sound signal device to said transmitter. I

8. In a telephone pay station, 'the combination with a box or case, acoin channel plate inclosed in said box, and sound insulated therefrom,a resonant plate supported by said box, a sound signal device supportedby said resonant plate, and a telephone transmitter attached to saidresonant plate.

9. Ina telephone pay station, the combination with a box or case, of achannel plate inclosed therein, a resonant plate independent of saidchannel plate, a sound signal device supported by said resonant plate,and a telephone transmitter attached to said resonant plate.

10. In a telephone pay station, the combination of a coin channe plate,a, resonant plate having an independent support irom said channel plate,a telephone transmitter attached to said resonant plate, and a soundsignal device having a metallic connection with said resonant plate.

11. In a telephone pay station, the combination with a box containing asound signal device, and a coin channel arranged to conduct a coin intocontact with said sound signal device, of a resonant metal plate withinsaid box separated from said coin channel and having a metallicconnection with said sound signal device, and a metallic connectionbetween said resonant plate and the transmitter of a telephone.

12. In a telephone pay station, the combination with a box containing asound signal device and'a resonant plate having a metallic connectionwith said sound signal device and with the transmitter of a telephone,of means separate from said resonant plate for conductmg a' com againstsaid sound signal device. p

13. In a telephone pay stat1on,the combination with a box containing aresonant plate, of ametallic connection between said plate and thetransmitter of a telephone, and means for producing sound vibrationsplatefrom a portion of its surface, leaving 15 the remainder of saidplate free to vibrate, a telephone transmitter having a metallicconnection with the free portion of said plate, and means for producingsound vibrations in said free ortlon by the passage of a coin 20 throughsaid box Without contact with said plate.

ARTHUR B; 'FLAGG. WALTER H. LIVERMORE.

Witnesses:

RUFUS B. Fowmm,

HENRY WOOD FOWLER.

